To create a future with a clean, healthy environment and a strong economy for people living in Canada, the Government of Canada is working with Canadians to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change. Everyone's contributions are essential to reach Canada's long-term target of net-zero emissions by 2050, a goal shared by more and more provinces, territories, businesses, and more.
Today, Environment and Climate Change Canada launched a public engagement process to hear the opinions of Canadians and Indigenous peoples across the country to inform setting Canada's 2035 national greenhouse gas emissions target. This important step is mandated under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act and Canada's international obligations under the Paris Agreement.
Canada is steadily making progress on cutting our emissions and building a stronger economy. In 2015, Canada was trending to exceed 2005 greenhouse gas emissions levels. Today, following successive climate plans, culminating in the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy, we are now projected to exceed Canada's interim objective of 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2026. We are also on the right trajectory to meet our 2030 goals, with many of the important building blocks needed for net zero already in place across all sectors of the economy.
The 2023 Progress Report on the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, published in December 2023, demonstrates that Canada's climate plan is working, and that the emissions curve is bending. In addition to the federal government, other partners, stakeholders, provinces, territories, and municipalities across Canada are helping drive down emissions. Setting the 2035 target will help advance ongoing economic opportunities that are driving Canada to net zero by 2050, such as electrification, energy efficiency, and waste reduction.
To help inform the government's work in setting the 2035 target, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, is inviting Canadians to share their views on the virtual public engagement platform, Talking Targets: Canada's Climate Future, which is open until March 28, 2024, 11:59 p.m. (PDT). The input collected through this engagement process is one of several components that need to be considered when setting the 2035 target.
Canada is leading the next decade of climate action toward a more sustainable future, but we can't do it alone. We need everyone to join us in taking climate action.
